


Suddenly, one day I become Prince Zuko

by Anonymous



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Comedy, Crack, Dysfunctional Family, Extremely smart Zuko, Memes, Ofc Zuko, Ozai slowly becomes a better father, Sibling Bonding, changing the future, cousin bonding, savage Zuko, we still hate Ozai thou, with plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:40:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: When Marcus Reeds, a twenty-first-century meme lord/insta baddie, died. He didn’t expect to wake up in a seven-year old’s body.And not just any random seven-year old’s body, Prince Zuko’s seven-year-old body.
Relationships: Iroh & Ozai (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai & Azula, Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai/Ursa (Avatar)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 76
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

When Marcus Reeds, a twenty-first-century meme lord/insta baddie, died. He didn’t expect to wake up in a seven-year old’s body. 

And not just any random seven-year old’s body, Prince Zuko’s seven-year-olds body.

Prince Zuko, you know... from the Avatar.

Avatar the last air bender...

That popular cartoon that Netflix decided to needed a live-action remake.

Yeah, that one...

Marcus laughs hysterically as he looks at himself in the mirror. Black hair and gold eyes, A far cry from his original biracial appearance. Really, what the actual fuck is going on? How does this happen? This isn’t supposed to be possible.

But somehow it is, he did the impossible. Marcus become Zuko.

Great. Fabulous. Fantastic.

You did good Marcus.

“My Prince.”

Marcus glances at the random servant he’s grown accustomed to, the man (Kou) was respectful and well mannered, he catered to all of Zuko’s needs without haste. Always going above and beyond for the boy.

Yes, Zuko might not be Ozai’s favorite child. But let it be known he was still treated like a Prince. 

“It’s time for your fire bending lessons.”

Marcus groans childishly. You’d think learning how to fire bend would be fun, right? It’s like every super fan’s dream.

Wrong.

There is literally nothing fun about learning how to Fire bend. It’s hellacious and nightmare-inducing, Marcus would rather sit through his great grandma’s lecture on the price of milk and how it increased over the years then learn how to fire bend.

Marcus quickly learned he does not have the taste for fighting or the patients to master fire bending. Don’t get the boy wrong he can do it, he just doesn’t like it. At all.

Marcus would much rather spend his time in the Royal Library, studying about the world around him.

Did you know, there are other places in this world besides the four continents shown on the map? Other cultures, languages, and religions similar the those on earth but so vastly different at the same time. Marcus could spend days learning about all the little things that weren’t mentioned on the show.

Instead, he’s forced to learn fire bending with his quota on quota sister. Fun.

“Kou,” Marcus turns to his personal servant, the fact that he even has a servant is still blowing his mind. “When are my practical lessons?”

Zuko’s practical lessons are what he loves the most. Math, politics, language arts, social studies, and history. The real history, not the propaganda bullshit that gets taught at public schools.

Etiquette lessons are fun too, they make him feel princely and entitled. But best of all Marcus finds that his etiquette lessons are actually used in real-life situations, especially when talking to foreign ambassadors.

“Sadly, your teacher has caught the flu, the rest of your lessons have been postponed until next week.”

Great, that means extra fire bending lessons.

“Prince Zuko,” Kou says while quickly tidying up the young boy’s garments. “You’ve become quite the scholar recently, Tsuchigomori-sensei said you already advanced to next year's lessons. That’s very impressive.”

It wasn’t really that impressive, the work is fairly easy. Let’s not forget Marcus is technology a twenty-three-year trap in a seven-year old’s body.

“I enjoy the work,” Marcus says mildly.

“If only you’d put the same work ethic into fire bending,” Kou said with a dramatic sigh. Awfully bold for a servant, but Marcus realized quickly that their relationship was a little bit more friendly then what’s considered appropriate for a master-servant.

“Forgive me, I don’t remember asking for your opinion.” 

Translation *Bitch, stay in your lane.*

“I understand my prince, I’ll keep these thoughts to myself.” The man bows, if Marcus didn’t know any better he’d think Kou was being sincere. But he knows better, and Marcus can vaguely see his teasing grin.

*

Marcus breaths heavily, he can feel beads of sweat drip down his back and into his brow. The air was ungodly humid, extremely sticky, and just all together unpleasant.

“Again, Prince Zuko.” His teacher shouts sternly, Teru is an old bastard who’s teaching technique was severely lacking.

An excellent fire bender, but not a great teacher. It’s like Ozai was setting Zuko up for failure.

Marcus steadies his breath, calling forth Zuko’s memories on fire bending basics. 

firebending power comes from the breath, not the muscle.

Breath and release.

Breath and release.

A stream of fire blasts out of Zuko’s fist, it was like a boiling river of lava, a stream as red as blood with glittering orange hues.

Perhaps, original Zuko would be satisfied with today’s lesson. He has improved, but Marcus just stared at the blast blandly. Completely unsatisfied, drowning in a sea of misery.

He’s going to have to teach the Avatar Fire bending someday.

He’s going to get barbecued and exiled by his scumbag of a father.

Traveling the globe like a fool with little funds.

None of that sounds remotely enjoyable. Marcus doesn’t want to fight or teach Aang fire bending. He doesn’t even like fire bending! He doesn’t want to get his ass handed to him by Ozai or be made a spectacle out in front of the whole damn fire nation!

There has to be a way to avoid this.

Aang is going to defeat Ozai no matter who teaches him fire bending and Marcus doesn’t want to be around when that happens. But at the same time, he also wants to enjoy the perks of being royalty for a while.

And then there’s the issue of where he’d go after Aang defeats the fire lord. If he sticks around, Marcus highly doubts they’d let him be the next fire lord. Would they let him go? Throw him in prison?

I think the fuck not!

Staying doesn’t seem like a good option. Marcus plans to be long gone before Aang comes to kick Ozai’s Ass.

Let’s just worry about not getting exiled first. 

“Your posture still needs a little work, but you’ve done well today,” Teru says with a judgmental stare, of course, he’s looking down on Zuko.

Not everyone can be a fire bending prodigy, Karen!

“I can’t believe you haven’t mastered that technique yet,” Azula’s voice is high pitch and nasally, reminding the boy of nails on a chalkboard. “I was able to master that technique within days.” The young girl spoke in a prideful manner.

“Wow, that is spectacular.” Marcus quips, his voice was dry and lacking in any sort of enthrallment. “Truly, you have outdone yourself.”

Azula glares at Zuko with the same fiery intensity she’s known for in the show. If she was older Marcus would have been intimidated, but she’s not older. Azula is a five your old little girl and Marcus isn’t going to get walked all over by a five-year-old.

“Awfully cocky for someone who’s still practicing the basics.” She snaps.

“You talk a big game for a princess who doesn’t even know how to curtsy properly.” That was a low blow, and extremely outdated from someone who comes from the twenty-first century. But, true nonetheless.

Azula’s cheeks flush a pale pink, whether it was from embarrassment or anger Marcus wasn’t too sure. “That has nothing to do with this, dum dum.”

Marcus shrugs, an undignified gesture coming from a prince. Or so he’s been told. “If you’re going to point out my flaws then you should be prepared for me to do the same.”

“I have no flaws.” Azula insists childishly.

“Then tell me sister, say the High Priest of Altria come to visit—“That's a trick question!” Azula cuts in. “Why would the Priest come and not their ruler.”

Marcus tsk like a broody anime boy. “If you paid attention during class you’d know Altria is run by the church and was the fire nation’s biggest ally when the earth kingdom raided our farms for grains 300 years ago.”

Maybe he was expecting too much from her, Azula is five after all. But it was the only thing he could think of to level the playing field.

Azula was silent for a moment, her hard glare brightens suddenly. Suspiciously. The little girl sent him a mean smirk before crying out of nowhere, real actually tears drip from her eyes.

She’s good. Someone give this child a Grammy.

Azula runs to Teru, startling the man. “Zuko said I was stupid!” The girl whines, like an actual child.

She was trying to kill him, that much Marcus was sure of. If Ozai heard about this! It wouldn’t end well for Marcus.

“Don’t listen to him princess, your brother is just jealous of you.”

Wow, what an utter bullshitter.

“Why would Zuzu be jealous of me?” Azula asks with watery eyes, if Marcus didn’t know her he’d think she was a normal innocent child.

“Because he’s a terrible fire bender.”

Marcus snots while his eyes rolled into the back of his head. “I might be a terrible fire bender, but I can still fuck your bitch.”

It wasn’t until he noticed their flabbergasted expression, wide eyes, and slicked jaw. That Marcus realized he fucked up. Entirely.

Right, profanity probably was a big no-no for a seven-year-old prince...

“Prince Zuko!” The man says like he just witnessed something scandalous.

“ S’up.” He already digs his grave, he minus well lay in it.

“Someone of your status— you shouldn’t be..” The man looked downright nauseous. “Follow me, we must report this to your parents immediately!”

Yep, he just screwed himself over.

*

Teru practically dragged Marcus to the garden where Zuko’s Parents, Uncle Iroh, and grandfather aka Fire Lord Azulon was having tea at. Because apparently, they have nothing better to do with their time then to have tea parties all day.

Marcus wonders if he was going to die today.he’s pretty sure two out of the four people here hates Zuko.

If he does die again, Marcus hopes he isn’t reborn as a character that has such a bothersome life.

“Your highnesses,” Teru starts, he bows low to the ground. Only rising when given permission. “I’m sorry for interrupting, but I thought I should update you on your son’s colorful vocabulary.”

Ursa raises an inquisitive eyebrow.

Iroh looked comedically worried.

Azulon’s face was skillful blank.

And Ozai’s was dangerously unreadable.

“Colorful vocabulary?” Ursa asked slowly, not really understanding what’s going on. 

Teru nods vigorously. “Yes, Prince Zuko please tell your family what you told me.”

Marcus sighs, here we go. 

“Teru said I was an awful fire bender,” Marcus says, if he’s going down Marcus was dragging this man along with him.

Zuko’s mother gave him a pitying look, she was probably about comfort Zuko but Ozai placed a hand over hers making the woman stay in place. 

Ozai sent Marcus a hard look, probably more mad at Zuko than the man that insulted his son.

“And how did you reply,” Azulon ask while sipping his tea.

Die with dignity!

“So I said, “I might be an awful fire bender, but I can still fuck your bitch.” Please quote that at my funeral.

Azulon choked on his tea, spilling the substance everywhere.

Iroh actually started laughing.

Ursa’s gasps dramatically.

And Ozai was momentarily taken back, for a single second Marcus thought he broke the man.

“Where did you even hear those words from?” Ozai asked, anger seeping into his voice.

Marcus thought for a second, he couldn’t possibly tell them he’s from another plane of existence where they speak like that all the time. No, so instead he said.

“I heard it from one of the servants.” Seems like a nice save right?

Wrong. So terribly wrong.

That just seemed to make them madder.

“Who-“What servant-“Was they male or female-“Who had the audacity?”

Was the few words he was able to understand, Marcus has never seen them try to talk over each-other before. 

Luckily Marcus didn’t die, But some random maid got fired. So that’s laying on his conscience.


	2. Chapter 2

“I won!” Marcus said with a cheeky grin. Lu ten looked dumbfounded like he couldn’t believe his seven-year-old cousin just bested him in a game of Pai show. Again, for the third time in a row. 

But really, who’s counting? Certainly not the one on a winning streak.

“Are you cheating.” Le ten asks, his amber eyes glanced down at the board in disbelief. There was no real heat in his words, more curious than anything.

“Na, you just suck at this game” 

Truly, there isn’t a strategic bone in the older boy’s body. Not only is his pattern so easily readable, but Lu ten’s favorite game plan is divide and conquer. Which is great, but sometimes you need a little more than that.

Especially when your playing against the World Chess Champion of 2019.

“I’m surprised.” Marcus tilts his head in thought.

“That you won three times in a row?”

“No, that your not even remotely good at this game. What has uncle Iroh been teaching you all this time?” Marcus deadpans, it was odd at first. Hearing Zuko’s voice every timed he talked, but he’s grown accustomed to it. Like the people here. By far his favorite people are Lu ten and Uncle Iroh. 

Iroh and Lu ten took Zuko’s personality change in stride, finding his new attitude amusing.

Ursa was nice, but she’s extremely cuddly and likes to baby him. It’s hard having to act like an innocent child around her all the time and not like the bad bitch he is.

On the other hand, Marcus hasn’t seen Ozai since the ‘I can still fuck your bitch’ incident a month ago, and what he can gather from Zuko’s memories that isn’t odd in the slightest. Zuko would go weeks without actually talking to the man. 

But Ozai pacifically makes sure that he sees Azula at least once a week. Wither it’s teaching her new firebending tricks or just having tea with her. Marcus has caught them spending Daddy-Daughter time together before.

It was bazaar seeing the soon to be fire lord carrying Azula around the garden, paying close attention as she talks about everything and anything from her favorite types flowers to the picture she drew earlier. 

Marcus always did wonder if he really loved Azula, or was Ozai just the master of manipulation. Making her believe he loves her from a young impressionable age. From an outside point of view they seem like a normal loving family, a family Zuko wasn’t apart of. Yes, if Ozai had it his way it just is him, Ursa, and Azula. Just the three of them, there’s no room for Zuko in that man’s perfect image.

“Where’s Uncle Iroh?” Marcus asks offhandedly when it comes to Zuko’s family he feels a strong connection to them, not because he wants to. But Zuko felt so strongly for them that Marcus can feel it. There’s thine line separating them. That line grows thinner with every passing day, making him feel more and more like Zuko.

If Marcus really thinks about it, he is Zuko. Marcus Reeds died and he was reborn as Prince Zuko. But he also isn’t Zuko, he thinks differently from him, he remembers a life where Zuko was nothing more than a character from a tv show.

“Oh, he’s in a meeting.” Le ten said offhandedly, he places the game pieces back in place. Obviously looking to lose for the fourth time.

“A war meeting?”

“Not every meeting involves war Zuko,” Le ten clicks his tongue, a new habit he’s picked up. “Kōshaku Minamoto is here to give a progress report, something to do with the colonies I think.”

Oh, politics. What a pleasant surprise.

Honestly, Marcus forgot the Fire Lord does other things besides mass genocide.

“So, three out of six. What do you say?

Marcus snorts with a dramatic eye-roll. “You're a glutton for punishment.”

“Funny, Uncle Ozai would say the same thing about you.”

Oh, okay. I see you Lu Ten.

*

Marcus has been Zuko for roughly around three months now, but this was his first time dining with a guest. His first royal dinner, if you will.

And let it be known that the Fire Nations royal family does nothing halfway.

Both Fire lord Azulon and Iroh lost their wife’s years ago, and since Azula is practically a baby. The duties of a Queen consort falls upon Ursa. It’s her job to represent Fire lord Azulon in his home, it’s her job to entertain and unofficially influence politicians. Even foreign dignitaries if the opportunity arises.

And she’s damn good at it. Ursa didn’t do the heavy lifting or the dirty work, but she planned the whole evening. From the food they’re eating to the soft background music playing by a live band, the woman even picked of the cutlery. 

Everything is to Kōshaku Minamoto’s liking, and that’s no coincidence either. Ursa took the time out of her day to study the man, find out what makes him tick. Knows exactly what to say to him, how to lower his guard. By the end of the night, he’ll spill all of his secrets without even realizing it.

It’s manipulative, strategic, and hella impressive.

Zuko and Azula are children, the only things that are expected of them are.

1\. Only speak when spoken to.

And.

2\. Proper etiquette like your life depends on it.

Luckily, Marcus has been dying to put his posh etiquette lessons to good use.

“Prince Zuko,” Minamoto starts, drawing the boy’s attention. 

Odd.

The night was almost over, Marcus wasn’t expecting the man to pay him any attention at all.

“Is there someone around that can serve you as a friend or companion? I worry you may get lonely.”

Worried? Zuko has never met this man a day in his life. Why would he be worried?

“Le ten is my friend.” Marcus reply’s in a mild tone.

“Perhaps, someone closer in age would benefit you more, I actually have a son close to you in age. I’m sure if you give him a chance you’ll become life long friends.”

Aaaaa, so that’s his plan. He’s trying to get his son an early foot in, an upper hand.

Ironically enough, that’s not what’s bothering Marcus. It’s the thought of spending hours on end entertaining an actual seven-year-old. Like what the hell would they even do? Play patty cake? No, that sounds like a new form of torture.

How do you politely so fuck no?

The expecting looks the adults gave him made Marcus’s heart race, he can’t remember how to politely tell someone to fuck off! He scrambles and searched into every crevice of his mind.

“I don’t want a friend that’s dumber than me.” He blurts out inelegant. A tense silence settles in the room, Marcus can feel Ozai’s heated glare and the wrath of Azulon silently waiting for his moment to strike.

Azula quietly snickers next to him, she shoots him a (your gonna get it) look.

Kōshaku Minamoto awkwardly clears his throat. “Prince Zuko, you don’t have to worry. My son is quite a bright child.”

Fuck it, Ozai and Azulon was already planning his demise minus well just go with it. “If that’s the case how much social theory has your son studied? I’m already in the fourth volume.”

Minamoto looks striking, his eye widens slightly. 

“Personally, I’m having trouble understanding Berlinger's theory of functionalism. Has he already studied Roitz?”

The tension in the room loosens considerably, but Marcus refuses to glance at his family’s direction. He’s afraid of what he’ll see.

“What about his other Studies? History? Philosophy? The theory behind firebending? Has he read about the Spirit world yet, beyond common folklore?”

The older man gaps at him, like he isn’t quite sure what to say. Probably flabbergasted.

“How many languages can he speak? Arlanta? What about the official language of Pascal? I can only speak seven so far.”

If there’s ever a time where Marcus is thankful that he’s a Hyperpolyglot, it’s now.

“Wow...” was the only thing Minamoto said, his tone was breathy, amazed even.

“langit ngerti kabeh, kayekten ora bisa didhelikake.” Since he was already showing off, Marcus figures just to go hard.

“Saicana’s sacred language is fairly easy, so he must already know that,” Marcus says like you’d have to be a complete idiot not to know a language that only 1% of the population knows.

“Non hic diu in tempus.” 

Lu Ten grabs both of his hands, his eye sparkling brightly.”Zuko, I will study harder.”

Lu Ten was known for saying random bullshit but this really takes the cake.

“I promise I’ll be a more adequate friend!”

That wasn’t at all what he was going for.... why is his life like this?

Marcus glances at Ozai, instead of anger there was a curious calculating look in his eyes. And he doesn’t doubt for a second that the fucker is planning something.

Ursa and Azulon were looking at him like they were really seeing Zuko for the first time, the real him.

And Iroh has his proud Dad vids going on, a true Zuko stan! An OG right forms the very beginning.

“I had already heard that the Prince is extremely bright but...” Minamoto glances at Zuko, slightly awed. “It appears the rumors did not do him justice.”

“Zuko is a privet child,” Ozai said as he sips whatever the fuck is in his golden cup.

“Zuko why didn’t you tell me you can speak seven languages.” His mom asks, slightly hurt by the fact that he could possibly be hiding something from her.

Marcus shrugs “You never asked.”


End file.
